Johnson, TN climate
Johnson has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 27°, and about 9 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Johnson feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Johnson weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47° | 27° | 3.7" | 3.0" | 13 | 3 | 29° – 45° |
| February | 52° | 30° | 3.7" | 3.0" | 13 | 2 | 30° – 50° |
| March | 60° | 36° | 4.0" | 1.1" | 14 | 1 | 40° – 58° |
| April | 70° | 43° | 4.0" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| May | 77° | 52° | 4.3" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| June | 84° | 60° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 64° | 4.9" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 71° – 79° |
| August | 86° | 63° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 71° – 79° |
| September | 81° | 57° | 3.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| October | 71° | 45° | 2.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 54° – 63° |
| November | 59° | 35° | 3.1" | 0.3" | 10 | 0 | 41° – 52° |
| December | 50° | 30° | 3.9" | 1.7" | 12 | 1 | 29° – 51° |
| Year | 69° | 45° | 45.7" | 9.2" | 138 | 7 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Johnson
Johnson gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 138 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 7 days of the year.
About 190 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 190 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Johnson
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Johnson, 79% of that work is heating and 21% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Johnson and its neighbors
Johnson borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.0°. Elizabethton has the coldest January nights (26°) and Oak Grove the hottest July afternoons (87°). Johnson’s January low is 27° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Johnson compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Johnson averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.8°). The shift is smaller than in 77% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Johnson’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 29° to 51°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Johnson’s climate
What is the coldest month in Johnson?
January, with a typical high of 47° and a low of 27°.
What is the hottest month in Johnson?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 64°. About 23 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Johnson get?
About 9 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Johnson?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 16.
What is the rainiest month in Johnson?
July, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Johnson itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bristol Tri City Airport, TN (9 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.